Out-Of-This-World Canary Spring

One of the more interesting things about Canary Springs, and all of the springs in Mammoth Hot Springs, is that they are ever-changing and evolving.

Canary has a temperature of 160°F and this spring is part of the Main Terrace, which includes Blue, Jupiter, Naiad and Main springs. All of the springs have had times where they go dormant, but Canary has been the most regular spring in the group.

Canary Spring gets its name from the yellow filamentous algae growing along the edge of the spring, and may have been named by the 1904 Hague Expedition. But now Canary Spring is known for its ultramarine-colored pool.

An interesting fact: The Mammoth formations have planetary connections. Specifically, a connection between this formation in Mammoth and astrobiology...

Because the organisms present at Mammoth represent the earliest forms of life on Earth, scientists can study them to learn how life has evolved on Earth and about the possibility for existing or extinct life forms on other planets. By understanding the conditions in which life can live, researchers can explore other planets for similar conditions – at present or in the past. Scientists can search other planets for "biomarkers," physical or chemical signatures indicating the presence of life or of past life on a planet. One method is to examine reflectance spectra from other planets to see if there are indications of photosynthesis, or mineral deposits associated with organisms or the resources that life needs. Scientists could look for calcite deposits like the ones in Mammoth as evidence of environments water is present and where organisms may live. They could look for the layered terrace patterns formed by the downstream flow of the water as the deposits are laid down. Perhaps there could be fossilized bacterial mats created by the cyanobacteria or bacteria filaments that were covered by calcite deposits.